03 - History Of Sir Richard Calmady by Lucas Malet

Under the pseudonym Lucas Malet, Mary Kingsley, the daughter of Charles Kingsley, rose to fame as a Victorian novelist, competing with luminaries such as Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, and Henry James. Her work, “The History of Sir Richard Calmady,” soared to the top of the Publishers’ Weekly bestseller list, earning high praise as the standout novel of the season. The novel traces the journey of Richard, a disabled heir to a wealthy, noble, but seemingly cursed family lineage. Central to this powerful narrative is the exploration of love in its many forms a mother’s love, both self-centered and sacrificial, sensual and platonic love, and the worldly and spiritual love. The novel parallels Hogarth’s Rake’s Progress, unfolding into a tale of self-discovery, optimism, and salvation. Summary by Stav Nisser and Anne Fletcher.